♪♪ [Kohlsdorf] Situated on over 800-acres adjoining Rathbun Lake, one of Iowa's largest bodies of water, lies Honey Creek Resort.

♪♪ [Beth Henderson] Southern Iowa has a little different feel than the rest of the state.

It's kind of the undiscovered gem.

♪♪ [Kohlsdorf] From their iconic lodge with 99 of its 106 rooms themed after Iowa's individual counties, to the acclaimed bar and restaurant and event spaces, Honey Creek prides itself on being a multiple use destination for the entire family.

[Beth Henderson] We really want this to be when you come to Honey Creek you feel like, wow, I'm someplace special.

[Kohlsdorf] Originally opened in 2008 as a state-owned enterprise, the resort is getting a fresh start under new ownership.

[Beth Henderson] When we saw it, we saw the potential.

There is so much to do here, but yet we wanted to add more attractions, get people here and really showcase Honey Creek with some different excursions.

(bell ringing) [Train Conductor] You're aboard Honey Creek Resort Express.

[Beth Henderson] So, the first thing we did is we bought the train.

The train is a fun way to tour around the resort.

It takes you back on the trails.

You see the wildlife.

And then the horse drawn carriages.

That takes you around back by the water, a beautiful way to see the resort.

The beach is fabulous.

We've got pontoon rentals, go boats, paddle boats.

When you see those out on Rathbun Lake, you know they're a part of Honey Creek Resort.

[Kohlsdorf] Other facelifts include transforming former storage space into a top floor wine and bourbon bar and a ground floor general store with gifts and prized root beer floats.

In addition to renovating 28 fully furnished cabins and an indoor water park, Honey Creek's 18-hole golf course, The Preserve, continues to impress aficionados, making the lakeside location one of the best ways to experience the area's natural and cultivated bounties.

[Beth Henderson] Our logo was developed after a cattle brand.

It represents Iowa agriculture, cattle country.

Also, the R on the HCR has a little squiggle on it and that represents the Chariton Valley River, which was dammed up to make Rathbun Lake.

♪♪ [Kohlsdorf] The Iowa Department of Natural Resources, who initially brought Honey Creek to fruition, continues to operate a top-notch fishery at Rathbun, protecting self-sustaining species and bolstering game fish for anglers.

[Mark Flammang] We have a number of stocking programs.

Walleye is a real big one.

We're also stocking hybrid straight bass, kind of the common mans' trophy fish.

It's also an opportunity to establish the state's first kind of trophy paddle fish fishery, a very unique fish.

They have this really largemouth gape.

It's hard to believe, but this little guy could potentially grow to be 100 pounds or more.

[Beth Henderson] Rathbun Lake is one of the top fishing lakes in the nation.

Fisherman get very excited about Rathbun Lake.

♪♪